Suntour Derailleur help
 

I've found an old Suntour X1 rear derailleur for my vintage touer. I also have at my disposal a ShimanoSTX and Shimano Deore LX. Anyone know how the Suntour compares? Whichever will be combined with barend shifters (probably), on friction, so no indexing worries.

I can't speak for the Shimano products, but the X1 is a very high end piece. I have three of them, not because I need three, but they are so nice.


http://www.yellowjersey.org/accurd.jpg

I love SunTour rear derailleurs! I have a short-cage Cyclone II on the Peugeot and an XC-7000 on the Schwinn, and I was much happier with a lowly V-Luxe than with the brand-correct Campagnolo 980 which currently graces Capo #1.

I've had very good luck with Suntour derailleurs (and shifters for that matter). I just got a 24 year old bike with Cyclone derailleurs and all of the joints and pivots are amazingly solid. If you try to wiggle the front cage, it has no play whatsoever. I can't claim that about any of my others.

Wow, imagine that. For once I discover I havesomething better than I thought it was. Thanks, chaps, you just made my day.

The Deore LX is fairly high end, but the STX is not. I'm not saying the STX is not a good derailer, because the two I've come across worked just fine, but they are not high in the Shimano rankings. IMHO the Suntour and the LX are your two choices.

STX was just below LX (actually there was also an STX Special Edition) but the LX parts were quite a step up in quality, IMO. Neither are bad derailleurs though.

I am running a Deore LX RD with Dura-Ace Bar-Cons on friction. Smooth as butter.........
Oh, Rear is nine speed 12-32.

Suntour Cyclone is my favorite on looks and performance, but I'm quickly learning to love semi modern 105. The version that is pearl silver, and has dual pivot calipers. The FD/RD I just put on my peugeot shifts as nicely as the Cyclone M-II on my Trek! I have never found a bad performing Suntour derailleur, though. Make sure the cable has unhindered movement, and they're good to go.:D,,,,BD

I have a Suntour Cyclone rear and Mountech front derailers on my touring bike that I shift with 1975 vintage Campy downtube levers. All very good quality, as good as the Shimano Deore on my 1987 Fisher mountain bike. Both bikes have Biopace triple cranksets with a 14-28 freewheel on the touring bike and 14-32 on the MTB.

The Deore LX (assuming its a 1991/1992 or later) has a much lighter action to work well in conjunction with STI shifters, which themselves have their own springs.

This can be either a good, or a bad, feature. It depends on the application. If the Deore LX is used with bar ends in ratcheting friction, I would say its a bad thing, as it would be too easy to shift across multiple cogs when a single shift is intended. I've used Suntour ratcheting shifters in friction, and the 'feel' is much better with a good banded spring stiffly sprung Suntour RD (similar to the X1 upthread) than with a light action Shimano coil spring RD (specifically a current version Shimano Deore LX rd).

OTOH, if the Deore LX is matched up with shimano bar ends, the shifter action and light action coil spring might mate just right--I've never tried, so I can't report.

Thanks for all the info, chaps, much appreciated.